GlaxoSmithKline to recall almost 600,000 asthma inhalers

Pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) are recalling hundreds of thousands of reportedly defective asthma inhalers.

The life-saving medical devices help asthma sufferers breathe, especially when suffering from asthma attacks, but a reported defect in the Ventolin inhalers has been found to provide insufficient doses.

The drug company, based in the U.K., supplies asthma inhalers to hospitals, pharmacies, retailers and wholesalers around the world, with defective units being found in the U.S.

The recall

GSK was made aware of numerous reports that inhalers had a bulge on the outside wrapper. This seems to indicate that the medicine inside is leaking out of the container and therefore may not be able to deliver a sufficient dose as expected.

It’s thought that a defect in the propellant causes the leak. In light of these concerns, GSK has so far issued a voluntary recall for some 593,000 inhalers thought to be affected by the problem.

The products affected by the recall are:

All of the asthma inhalers recalled were manufactured at one of the British company’s warehouses in North Carolina, in the U.S., and the recall has been approved by local regulators. The recall request provides instructions to “stop distributing and immediately quarantine only the lots listed above… [to] carry out a physical count and record this data” and return it to GSK’s Indianapolis branch using a prepaid shipping label.

Serious defect

Whilst it’s important that the defective inhalers in stock are returned to the manufacturer, suppliers need to take reasonable steps to inform users of the recall.

Users and carers of asthma sufferers need to know that there may be a defect in the medical devices and that they should send them back for a replacement or use an alternative device. Asthma sufferers who are denied use of an inhaler and denied a full dose of medicine from an inhaler can suffer from significant respiratory problems.

In extreme cases, a serious asthma attack can be fatal if not treated in time. Starved of oxygen, the cells in our body cannot usually function. When the brain cannot get enough oxygen, it can shut down vital organs in the body. Even partial reduction of the oxygen to the brain can cause fainting, loss of consciousness, comas and seizures. In the long term, those who survive oxygen starvation may see a decrease in the control of their limbs, leaning difficulties and memory loss.

Asthma sufferers rely on inhalers as a life-saving drug, so they must be made aware of any defects immediately.